Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger

This Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger is a great way to get a weeknight meal on the table in a flash!

Spring Break came…and Spring Break went. Notice that I didn’t say vacation? It was a fairly smooth road trip halfway across the country and back for me and my three children to visit aunts, uncles, and cousins. Baseball games, riding Harleys, playing with little cousins, watching old home movies with freshly popped popcorn, and just good clean family time made up the vacation part. Being a single parent for a week (my husband is always working hard), daily chores, cooking, and sleeping with one of my children in the same bed on several nights…?? Well, at least the scenery was different. And seeing flowers in bloom (not to mention green grass) was a bonus for this snow refugee.

Now I’m back in my kitchen and back to the daily grind of chores, cooking, afterschool activities, and sports. (But at least there are no more children sleeping in my bed.) It’s time to pull out those quick and easy dinner recipes.

A stir-fry provides a great way to get dinner on the table in a flash. Yes, there is a little prep work like cutting the pork and stringing the peas, but it really doesn’t take much time at all. Better yet… enlist some helpers. Company is always appreciated in the kitchen☺.

I changed the proportions around a bit to suit the serving size for my family and my need for leftovers for work/school lunches. I also added an onion because I love them and put them in as many savory dishes as I can. Just before serving, I like to stir in some Sambal Oelek–I love me some spicy garlic chili paste. Seriously, I can eat that stuff by the spoonful! But if you are like my son and can’t handle the heat, just serve it on the side and let others add to taste. Steamed white rice completes the meal.

Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger

By Nicole Prep: 10 minsCook: 20 minsTotal: 30 mins Servings: 6 This stir-fry provides a great way to get dinner on the table in a flash!

Equipment

• 12-inch non-stick skillet with lid

Ingredients 

• ¾ cup raw cashews, chopped
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Mirin
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Tamari sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 (24 ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Safflower oil or other neutral oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 8- ounces snow peas, strings removed and cut in half on an angle
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Instructions 

1. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat, toast the cashews until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, Mirin, Tamari, and 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch until no lumps remain; set aside.
3. Cut the pork crosswise into ½-inch thick slices, then cut each slice into ½-inch thick strips. Toss the pork and the sesame oil together in a large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to pork and toss to coat.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons of safflower oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the pork, 3-5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate and tent with foil. Repeat with 2 teaspoons of oil and remaining pork.
5. In now empty skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the onion and sauté until lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes. Add the snow peas and sauté until bright green, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk broth mixture to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet, stirring to coat the pork. Add the cashews and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve over steamed white rice and chili paste to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

• Serve over steamed white rice and Thai garlic chili paste, like Sambal Oelek to taste.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 590kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 69g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 197mg, Sodium: 638mg, Potassium: 1502mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 418IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.